My reaction was an immensely palpable sense that even though I'm on the same planet (indeed, in the same country and even the same state) as every one of the participants, I nonetheless live in a totally -- completely -- different world. What occupies their thoughts and minds and days is just radically different from mine.
For some reason, I was just especially struck by the fact that individuals from the same species and (rough) geographic areas can have such completely different lives. And, needless to say, felt like I have the much, much better end of things.
